Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-05-19
THE DEVILS LANE.
Scenes Therein Enacted Of Import
to Three Lives.

That line had always been a bone of
contention between Uncle Joe Allen
and his neighbor ON the west When
the country was new Uncle Joe and
Samson Freeholder had bought adja-
cent farms. In some way or another
they had not agreed about the matter
of building the line fence. One want
ed the privilege of building it in his
own way, the other would not adopt
that method; and so it came about
that they decided to build lane two
rods wide, one-half lying one side the
line and one-half on the other SIDE
Each man put up fence the whole
length of the line, leaving that long
strip of land that neither could use.
With considerable degree of pro-
priety the lane came to be known as
the Devils Lane" Similar lanes
may be found in certain parts of this
country at the present time, although
they are fast disappearing. So the
matter stood. The two men let each
other severely alone after the fence was
built Each kept up the fence on his
side of the DEVILS Lane, never ventur-
ing to do any thing toward making the
land of value to himself or his neigh
Dor.
Time brought gray hairs to those
good farmers, and at length Samson
Freeholder was gathered to his fathers.
Then the farm was sold to Dick Lam
son-a wide-awake, thorough going
young fellow who was bound to sue
coed in life. Every body said so, and
what all in Springfield township agreed
upon, who could question. Uncle Joe
was not blind to the young mans ster.
ling qualities, and so it happened that
when, in the course of time, Dick came
to court his handsome daughter Bess
he was very much inclined to favor hi
suit 1t was not long before it came t.
be we'll understood that Dick was ego
ing with" Bcss, and that they were 60
ing to "get married" in few months
Matters were in this condition when
once upon time, Dick happened t,
get to thinking about that Devil
Lane. Then it stretched the Who'll,
width of his farm, separating hin
from his prospective father-in-law.
At that time the lane was well Cal
culsted to be an eyesore to any ener
getic farmer. 1t had been allowed t,
run to waste for many years. No on
had set foot on it since the fences ha,
been built, save now and then avent
uresome boy hunting rabbits, 70
which it furnished an excellent retreat
For it had grown up so thickly wit
shrubs, briars and weeds, that it wa
the next thing to impossible for an,
one to force his way through it. Il
such condition it was of no use to tn
men who owned the land. 1t locke,
TO Dick like sheer waste of property
There was strip of land one hundre
and sixty rods long and rod wide tina
belonged to him, and piece of tn
same size which Uncle Joe ough
to have under cultivation.
Was it not poor policy to allow tina
land tssH61wild in that way? So
seemed him. He knew nothin
about the circumstances under whic
the lane had been built and possibl
thought it was only by chance.
III speak to Uncle Joe about it tn
next time I'm over that way" wa
Dicks resolutions; and it was not Ion
before he had chance to carry it int
effect. The old gentleman seemed
be in very good humor the day Die
called on him, and the men sat on tn
fence half an hour chatting about til
crops and matters in general FINAL
the young man said:
BY the way, Uncle Joe, what d
you say to clearing up that lane b
tween you ard me, and putting a goo
fence on the rnee That's where it b
longs. The us Of that land is wort
something to US 18TH"
Uncle Joe's lips closed for momer
very tightly. Then he replied;
Its good enough for me as it isr'
Now, that meant a great deal frol
Uncle Joe. Ii meant that he had NJ
forgotten the strife of almost half
century ago with neighbor Freeholde'
and that he had no inclination now
depart from the decision he had the
formed never to help build fence o